A primary role of the immune system is fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses. However, recent studies have revealed additional roles of immune cells in other important host functions, such as controlling body weight.

New research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]) shows an increased risk of childhood obesity at age 9-11 years when the mother has had gestational diabetes ...

Teenagers who are cancer patients or survivors are the same as all teenagers, but the stakes for reaching and maintaining optimal health are much higher: reducing the odds of the cancer's recurring. That's where Carol DeNysschen ...

Obesity is a well-known risk factor for osteoarthritis, but its effects on cartilage repair are unknown. In a recent study in a mouse model of cartilage repair, a high-fat diet and increased body weight did not negatively ...

New research led by York University Professor Michael Connor highlights how fat cells could help determine the most effective way to fight breast cancer; including using exercise to combat the disease.

In a new study published in Cancer Letters, American University researchers show how, as body mass index increases, so does the growth and spread of the blood cancer multiple myeloma, which accounts for about 10 percent of ...

Adipose tissue

In histology, adipose tissue or body fat or just fat is loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes. Adipose tissue is derived from lipoblasts. Its main role is to store energy in the form of fat, although it also cushions and insulates the body. Obesity or being overweight in humans and most animals does not depend on body weight but on the amount of body fat—specifically, adipose tissue. Two types of adipose tissue exist: white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). Adipose tissue also serves as an important endocrine organ by producing hormones such as leptin, resistin and the cytokine TNFα. The formation of adipose tissue appears to be controlled by the adipose gene. Adipose tissue was first identified by the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner in 1551.\